Grand Theft Auto creator prevails in strip-club clash

A US court has dismissed claims made by the owner of a Los Angeles exotic dance venue that a virtual gentlemen’s club in Grand Theft Auto is based on his trademarked joint.

GTA: San Andreas doesn't infringe on the Play Pen's (above) trademark

Judge Diarmuid O'Scannlain ruled that because GTA: San Andreas is a parody of East Los Angeles, where the real-life Play Pen strip club is based, the only way that the game’s designers could realistically simulate the area was by recreating versions of the businesses and buildings in that area.

The Pig Pen in GTA: San Andreas (left) and the Play Pen in Los Angeles

He also said that there was no reasonable evidence to suggest that gamers would confuse the game’s Pig Pen strip club with the Play Pen.

We’d have thought the Play Pen would have been happy to feature in GTA: San Andreas. Some firms pay serious amounts of money to get their wares plugged in games.

We’ve stitched together images of the real-life Play Pen club and the virtual GTA version, so you can decide for yourself if the two sport any similar features.